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Commissioners discuss grant portal and possible use of opioid settlement funds; Community Foundation offers to administer
Summary
The Community Foundation demonstrated a grant‑management portal and discussed options for administering county opioid settlement funds, including a review committee and timeline tied to the county budget.
Representatives from the local Community Foundation presented a web‑based grant application and review portal to Dickinson County commissioners and discussed administration options for incoming opioid settlement dollars.
The foundation representative outlined features of the portal: online application and document upload, a reviewer log‑in with scoring (1–5) and comments, automated applicant and reviewer email notifications, and compiled aggregate scoring for administrators. The foundation said it can host the application process, curate required documents, and optionally serve as administrator for a fee. Test data shown by the foundation demonstrated variance in reviewer ratings and the portal’s aggregation of scores for committee consideration.
Commissioners discussed forming a review committee similar to planning and zoning, with public members and representation from incorporated cities. Several commissioners said they wanted the committee to be able to hear applicants in person and to submit a graded recommendation to the commission. The foundation representative said the portal supports assigning reviewers and restricting reviewer access to particular applications.
Timing and funding questions dominated discussion. Commissioners and staff agreed it would be sensible to wait until the county’s budget picture is firmer before launching a broad grant cycle. The foundation suggested opening an application portal as early as August after the county finalizes budget targets; county staff said they expect clearer budget numbers by July. Commissioners expressed a preference to prioritize funding for the county’s recovery (drug) court if settlement dollars were limited.
Options discussed included: the county running the portal in‑house; the Community Foundation hosting and administering the program (possibly waiving fees for an initial period); or placing funds with the foundation so the foundation manages the grant process. Commissioners also raised practical questions about staffing the review committee and whether application fees or administrative fees would be needed if demand grows.
No final commitment was made during the meeting; commissioners asked staff to hold implementation until budget planning completes and to return with a proposed timeline and committee structure.
